Having Victory Snatched From You
by Red Fiona
Summary: Snape ponders the illtreatment of Slytherin at the end of HP and the Philosopher's Stone


Author: Red Fiona  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything to do with it, JK Rowling does. No money being made.  
  
Spoilers for HP and the Philosopher's Stone  
  
Summary: Snape thinks he and his house were treated badly at the end of HP and the Philosopher's Stone.  
  
Notes: I've only read the first book, so if anything goes out of cannon, that's why. I only wish that ranting was a genre here because that's what this is, a Snape rant. Reviews gratefully received. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my previous work.  
  
Huge thank you to I C Fire for giving me the correct spelling of Gryffindor.  
  
(Snape's POV)  
  
~~~~  
  
Potter. Even the name is horrible, a nasty, glottal name, a name to be spat out rather than said. And the people with it are worse. Potter the perfect, Potter the bleeding almighty. And whoopee do, Gryffindor won the House Cup, again. After blatant cheating by Professor Dumbledore, again.  
  
I'm seriously beginning to think that James Potter and his cronies put a curse on me at school, a curse that meant I could never hold the cup while they and theirs were at the school, but I only started thinking that after about three quarters of a bottle of this whisky drink, so that might not be the greatest idea ever.  
  
Muggles may be mostly stupid, but they know how to brew a good drink.  
  
Look at yourself, Severus, you're pathetic, you know that. It's summer and you still look like death warmed up. But then I always do look like death warmed up. I can hear my ex-pupils saying it to their children now, "If you don't eat your greens, you'll end up looking like Professor Snape."  
  
Bah.  
  
Bugger Potter anyway. I knew it would happen, the minute I read his name on the list, that somehow that old fool would find a way for Gryffindor to win. But I shouldn't say that about Professor Dumbledore.  
  
Professor Dumbledore is undoubtedly the kindest man on the planet, he is also, however, unbelievably biased in favour of Gryffindor.  
  
Poor Malfoy, he looked so disappointed at losing the House Cup. I feel so sorry for him. Hah, that's a laugh, the boy's only a high class thug like his father, he'd never take Potter on if he was without those goons of his Crabbe and Goyle, they too are like their fathers.  
  
It's not as though Slytherin didn't win fair and square. Okay, maybe not fair and square but we won. That is the important fact. It was snatched out of our grasp at the last minute, the eternal tale of Slytherin House.  
  
That reminds me, Minerva is going to be impossible for the next year, at least. Yes, I admit that I may have been a little over triumphant when it came to celebrating the Slytherin victories for the past seven years, but that was because we never won it when I was here, so that serves as an excuse. She doesn't have an excuse like that. I'll just have to grin and bare it, it wouldn't do to brew a potion to make her hair fall out or anything.  
  
But I do have a plan of action, I've decided what I'm going to do; the minute this drink gives me back the use of my legs, I'm going to get the Sorting Hat and give it a rhyme to sing, one that's true unlike the garbage it normally spouts.  
  
Hufflepuff, give up. You're only a small step up from squibs and you're never going to make it in the wizarding world. Find something Muggle to do.  
  
Ravenclaw, you think you're so smart. And maybe you are, but you're also bloody boring. Oh, and your head of house is a cheat. Don't try to tell me Hooch didn't mark Malfoy down in flying. I'll admit I hate the Potter boy but I'd never mark anyone down, not deliberately, I have some decency left. You'll make brilliant accountants but that's all.  
  
Gryffindor, the cheat's house. Go there and you will be covered in glory, usually at someone else's expense, and all your misdemeanours will be written off as high spirits. But if you're a Slytherin and you even dare try to stand up for yourself, you'll have the book thrown at you.  
  
Severus, let it go. It happened years ago.  
  
I hate it when my brain stops me ranting. As though Potter and his cronies didn't deserve expulsion for what they did to me.  
  
And lastly to Slytherin, the noble house, who's name is slandered every time someone opens their mouths. It's not our fault that the other houses perform so badly that we always win the Cup. It's not our fault that Voldemort belonged to this house, he would have gone bad whichever house he was sorted into. He is merely a blot on our good name.  
  
I really should have been a politician, see how well I lie. Yes, we lie, we cheat, we swindle, we're mean, cruel and nasty, but we get things done. Someone has to have those qualities, unpleasant though they are. I'll be the first to admit though that the present intake aren't worthy of being in the house of Salazar Slytherin. Most of them aren't even worthy of being mentioned in the same breath. Flint is, and hopefully will have a long career ahead of him in Quidditch, if he can put the Potter menace behind him.  
  
Maybe I should try that too, forget what Potter did to me and carry on with my life.  
  
And in doing so lose what scraps of honour I have left, no thanks, I owe James Potter an eternal debt of gratitude, and even saving his son's life doesn't clear me of it. Worst luck.  
  
And if I lose my hate, what's left of me then. Just a bitter man who hates the light of day, in charge of the house that will supply Voldemort with his next wave of followers. Oh unmitigated joy.  
  
I'm just reminded why I don't drink, God, I'm a dreadful drunk. Oh well, just a little more whisky and I'll be asleep and be able to, if only temporarily, forget the Potter boy.  
  
If only that worked.  
  
~~~~  
  
The end  
  
Sorry to everyone who likes Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. They do seem to get the short end of the stick all the time. After reading HP and the Philosopher's Stone I did think it was a bit harsh snatching the cup from Slytherin, so I wrote this. 


End file.
